Thursday’s Pre-Publication Post: Permissions Update

So, back in April I told you about my quest to procure permission to use certain words penned in a book that was released by a Big Publishing House, because I want to use these words as an epigraph to my forthcoming story collection, Quiet Americans. Then, last week, I mentioned how incredibly helpful it was for me to simply pick up the phone after weeks of apparent non-response to check in on the process. (Apparently, not all of my e-mails had made it through.)

All of which led to my receipt of a hard-copy agreement a few days ago. The good news: The fee the Big Publishing House is requiring is manageable, if exponentially more than anything I’ve ever earned per word. There are seven words in this particular excerpt–two sentences and seven words.

But (you knew this was coming, right?) here’s the not-so-good news: I neglected to realize that my request would cover only the print format of the book. So on Monday, I had to bother my very kind and patient contact at the Big Publishing House to ask for an amendment to cover an electronic version, too. I believe that a revised agreement is on the way. In fact, I was hoping it might have arrived yesterday, in time for me to write this post.

Alas, I’m still waiting. Which means I’m waiting to see how much more they’re going to charge me. Double? Less than double? How much less? What’s your guess?

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About Erika Dreifus

Erika Dreifus is a freelance writer and book publicist. She is also the editor and publisher of The Practicing Writer, a free (and popular) e-newsletter that features opportunities and resources for fictionists, poets, and writers of creative nonfiction.

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Quiet Americans - Stories by Erika Dreifus

A high-ranking Nazi’s wife and a Jewish doctor in prewar Berlin. A Jewish immigrant soldier and the German POWs he is assigned to supervise. A refugee returning to Europe for the first time just as terrorists massacre Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics. A son of survivors and the family secrets modern technology may reveal. These are some of the characters and conflicts that emerge in Quiet Americans, in stories that reframe familiar questions about what is right and wrong, remembered and repressed, resolved and unending. Portions of the proceeds from sales of Quiet Americans are being donated to The Blue Card. Quiet Americans has been named a 2012 Sophie Brody Medal Honor Title (American Library Association) and recognized as a “Notable Book” (The Jewish Journal) and “Top Book” (Shelf Unbound).

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